Rangers 0 Manchester United 1: Wayne Rooney back in style as Red Devils ease into last 16

Wayne Rooney's
first goal since his
return to the Manchester
United
team elicited the
rather dubious reward of a
hug from a large, excited
man dressed in a black coat
as the striker lay on the Ibrox
turf.

Nevertheless, Rooney will not
have worried too much about the
proximity of his team's celebrating
supporters as he wallowed in the
afterglow of a goal that will perhaps
have brought him as much pleasure
as any he has scored in his time
at Old Trafford.

Roar emotion: Rooney celebrates his late winner completing a perfect first team return to help United through to the last 16

It may only have been a penalty in a game United didn't have to win but the bear hug and the kiss on the cheek he received from the supporter who reached him first by the corner flag suggested forgiveness is nigh for a player who almost left a little over a month ago.

In yet another TV interview ahead of last night's game, Rooney conceded that it may take a while before every United fan is singing his name again. After last night, the balance has tipped slightly in his favour. Football fans - for all their occasional bouts of principle - have hearts that can be easily won.

Goals certainly help and so do performances high on endeavour, courage and selflessness. Last night Rooney provided all of this. In truth, this was far from his best performance in a United shirt. What it did, though, was represent another small step towards the form that so enriched the Barclays Premier League last season. His manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, will perhaps have been as glad to see Rooney finish last night's game as he was to see him score.

A draw would have seen United through to the knockout stage and Ferguson's team were well on the way to achieving a point when his No 10 was given the chance to win the game with three minutes left. Nevertheless, though Rooney's fitness will certainly have improved greatly on the back of last night's exertions, his goal will have done wonders for his confidence and sense of wellbeing.

He has Rangers' Steven Naismith to thank for the oppor tuni ty.

Look Roo's back: Wayne Rooney returned to United's starting XI and was unlucky not to grace the scoresheet early on before Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot intervened

Afterwards Rangers manager Walter Smith suggested that there was no intent in Naismith's challenge on United left back Fabio. Had he seen TV replays that showed Naismith's foot connecting with Fabio's chin, however, Smith may have taken a different view. In short, Naismith was fortunate that his challenge didn't separate Fabio's head from his young shoulders.

Rooney showed no hesitation in taking the ball for the penalty and he placed it past Allan McGregor with the necessary degree of purpose.

Ferguson said: 'It was certainly a penalty. It was an assault. There was a clear penalty in the first half that we should have had as well. But Wayne took the one we got very well and I was pleased with that. Wayne needs games and there is some rust there. But it was important to keep him on the pitch for the whole game and I was pleased that happened.'

That United are now through to the last 16 of his favourite competition with a game to spare will please Ferguson. His team face Arsenal at Old Trafford on December 13 and Chelsea the following weekend.

Battle of Britain: Rangers star Steven Naismith holds off a challenge from United midfielder Ryan Giggs

Now that his team are safely in the
next round, Ferguson can try to balance his desire to win the group
against the need to save players when Valencia come to Manchester six
days before Arsenal visit Old Trafford.

'We do want to win the group,' stressed Ferguson. That is important to us.'

Whether it is as important as
beating Arsenal and Chelsea is academic,
of course, and that is why it
was important to come through
last night's game with at least a
point. In truth, United were so
superior to the best Scottish football
has to offer that it threatened
to become embarrassing at times.

This was a far better game than
the stupefying spectacle these
teams served up at Old Trafford in
September. On this occasion, both
sides at least tried to win.

Rangers did their best to impose themselves on United and Edwin van der Sar saved well in one-on-one situations with Kenny Miller and Naismith in either half, while also seeing Miller head wasteful ly wide when unmarked in the 16th minute.

Near miss: Dimitar Berbatov goes close with his second half header

Those moments were, however, out of
keeping with a game that United dominated. With Rangers fielding a
five-man defence and asking Miller to play up front alone, their
natural inclination was to defend deeply.

As such, United enjoyed a lot
of possession and territory while Rangers often found themselves with
huge expanses of green between their midfield and their lone striker.
In the first half Rooney hit the bar with a header, Dimitar Berbatov
should have been awarded a penalty when hauled down by Steven Davis and
Nani may have done better with a shot from the edge of the area.

It was not until the start of the
second period, though, that United
began to find a clear route t o
McGregor's goal. Berbatov and
Michael Carrick should have made
more of clear chances while Rooney
slashed at one that came his way.

Ultimately, Rooney was offered
his chance and he took it. He will
view the hilarious physical assault
that followed as an acceptable price
to pay.

Head boy: Rooney was denied by the crossbar in the dying moments of the first half from opening the lead